Welcome to Saumur Val de Loire

Whether you're looking for family adventures, memorable moments with friends, or the perfect combination of work and pleasure during a professional break, Saumur Val de Loire is the ideal place for all memory makers.
A visit to Saumur and the surrounding region means you'll be amazed by the breathtaking panoramas of the Loire, discovering all the facets of troglodyte caves and countless beautiful residences throughout your stay. And let's not forget the royal river - the Loire - which offers a whole new viewpoint from which to visit Saumur.
Saumur Val de Loire is like a big canvas where families can paint colourful memories together. The majestic châteaux, such as the Château de Saumur, will captivate young and old alike with their fascinating history. Bike rides along the Loire-à-Vélo offer breathtaking panoramas, while visits to troglodyte caves will fill curious minds with wonder. For an even more fun experience, opt for a trip down the Loire in a canoe. Who hasn't heard of the prestigious Cadre Noir riding school in Saumur? A visit is a must, especially as the school offers special visits in the form of a treasure hunt for families. A visit to Saumur Val de Loire is a treasure chest for families looking for a unique experience.
If you're lucky enough to spend several days in the Saumur Val de Loire area, don't miss the Bioparc - Zoo de Doué-la-Fontaine . In an exceptional natural setting, you'll discover 1,800 animals of endangered species in a former falun quarry just 15 minutes from Saumur. To find out more about this alternative idea of a zoo, take an immersive tour.Other family destinations a little further from Saumur are the Terra Botanica plant park and the world's best amusement park, Puy du Fou .
Visiting Saumur as a family has many facets: on foot, by bike, by boat - each point of view is unique. The team atSaumur Val de Loire Tourist Office teamhas more than one trump up its sleeve for you to visit an area rich in emotion.

The Chateau de Saumur is the last chateau in the Loire Valley to be built entirely of tuffeau, quarried in the surrounding area. But unlike the great châteaux of the Loire Valley, it has never been used as a residence. It has never been a governing chateau, and as a result it is sparsely furnished.

To appreciate the rich furnishings of the region's private chateaux, you should visit the Chateau de Montreuil-Bella y south of Saumur and the Chateau de Brissac-Quince south of the city of Angers. Then there's a very special chateau to visit, the Chateau de Breze, much loved for its troglodyte dwellings.
If you still have time during your visit to Saumur, we recommend the two jewels: Chateau de Serrant, with its library and rare furniture, and Chateau de Montgeoffroy, with its magnificent stables.

This is a difficult question to answer, as there are 450 winegrowers around Saumur. We've had the time to visit a number of cellars and taste quite a few Saumur wines. So we've made some contacts and developed some preferences that we're happy to share with you.

Firstly, I'd recommend a visit to one of the Saumur brut cellars in the rue Ackerman. You'll love the sheer size of the cellars and learn a lot about the traditional method, tuffeau and Loire wines in general. Depending on your group and the interest of your visit, one or other of the cellars will be more suitable. Contact us to find out more!
Next, you'll need to explore the region between Saumur, Montsoreau and Puy-Notre-Dame to admire the vines, understand the particularities of the terroir and visit at least one estate. We have chosen 3 organic estates with which we have a special relationship:Domaine de Nerleux in St Cyr en Bourg: visit to troglodytic cellar and wine tastingChâteau de Targé in Parnay: cellar tour and tastingChâteau de la Fosse-Sèche in Brossay: 45 hectares of biodynamic farming and gourmet wines.Reservations are strongly recommended. Each farmer is unique and works in a different environment.

The Cadre Noir is the institution par excellence of French equitation. From its military beginnings in 1815 in the town of Saumur, the vocation of France's finest equestrians was to train cavalry officers and non-commissioned officers for military use. With the development of leisure riding and equestrian sports, the Cadre Noir was entrusted to the Ministry of Sport and switched to civilian status in 1972. Since then, the Cadre Noir has been based in new buildings in Terrefort, a few kilometres south of Saumur town centre.

There are several ways to visit the Cadre Noir:
Gala weekends at the Cadre Noir, held throughout the year between mid-February and the end of November. Each gala has its own theme (music, dance, etc.)weekday matinees: a commented presentation of the work of the Cadre Noir riders and their mounts in the main riding schoolguided tours of the IFCE site at Terrefort, sometimes including observation of the riders in the main riding arena, the stables and the saddlery.Attendance at major competitions such as acrobatics, driving, dressage or young horse presentations.The site remains open to the public throughout the year.You can find all the detailed information and tickets on the Cadre Noir website